Food product

ABSTRACT

A FOOD PRODUCT HAVING A CORE OF NUTRITIOUS, EDIBLE, LOWCOST MATERIALS COVERED BY A COATING OF AN EDIBLE FOODSTUFF OF SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER PALATABILITY THAN THAT OF THE COORE AND TO WHICH IS APPLIED A QUANTITY OF PARTICULATE, FLAVORIMPARTING BITS OF PRECOOKED MEAT, POULTRY OR FISH, WHEREIN THE COATING SERVES SUBSTANTIALLY TO INHIBIT MIGRATION THERETHROUGH OF THE CORE FLAVORS AND ACTS AS A BONDING MEDIUM FOR SECURING THE PARTICULATE FLAVOR BITS TO THE CORE.

3,808,341 FOOD PRODUCT Elbert H. Rongey, Fullerton, and Eckhardt Hooss, Pacific Palisades, Calif., assignors to Karl Kan Foods, Inc., Vernon, Los Angeles, Calif. No Drawing. Filed Nov. 15, 1971, Ser. No. 198,775 Int. Cl. A23k 1/10; A231 1/32 US. Cl. 42692 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SPECIFICATION This invention relates to a food product having a central core of nutritious but comparatively low-cost farinaceous and proteinaceous materials suitably treated and formed into pieces of desired size and shape coated with an edible material of substantially higher palatability than that of the core and to which is bonded a quantity of particulate flavor-imparting bits of precooked meat, poultry or fish.

The invention affords a useful breakfast or snack food product, and one which is also well adapted for use as a pet food. In its adaptation as a pet food, the coating and particulate flavor enhancement functions so to mask the flavor of the less palatable core materials as to permit selection of core ingredients chiefly by their nutritional qualities rather than the standpoint of palatability. Presently available food products prepared for consumption by dogs and cats are generally commonplace and unimaginative in appearance, lacking sales appeal to the pet owner accustomed otherwise to be discriminating in buying food products. One objective of the present invention is a product which is appetizing in its appeal to the purchaser, whether for human or animal consumption, as by suggtstion both visually and by its components some well-known dish of recognized popularity, as, for example, bacon and eggs. Thus, in one embodiment of the invention, a core of nutritious materials is coated with a thermal setting material which has egg as a major constituent, so treated and applied as to resemble a fluffy scrambled egg in appearance, althoughv the egg content has not in fact been scrambled, in the surface of which is visibly present a quantity of precooked bacon bits. By this invention other conventional foods may likewise be simulated in a product which, in fact, contains a sufiicient quantity of the raw components of the food simulated to permit the product accurately to be designated by the name of the simulated product.

The central core can be of any of a wide choice of comestible materials of desired nutrient value, and we prefer a mixture of proteinacious and farinaceous components such as cereals, legumes, meat or fish meals, bone meals, oil seeds, or the like. The selection of raw materials may be governed partly by factors other than nutriment as, for example, that of texture, which may range from a soft, gelatinous form to a firmer, dry, crunchy texture. To that end, the core may contain vegetable gums, egg proteins and other materials, known to affect texture, and the core may be produced by cold extrusion, cooking expansion or otherwise. Once formed, the core may be coated or undergo secondary treatments to remove excess moisture or to reduce moisture uptake, such 'iUnited States Patent as by drying or baking, using hot air, open flames, microwave, infrared heating, or other conventional means. The imbibition of moisture may be retarded by the application of film-forming materials, including fats, oils, or other edibles. Suitable coloring materials may also be added. Vitamin, mineral or amino acids supplement may be incorporated in the core even though they may detract even further from palatability of the core per se.

The coating which masks the flavor of the central core is preferably a suspension or stable emulsion of materials comprising whole egg, admixed with whey proteins, nonfat dry milk or dried cheese in conjunction with coloring and flavoring materials. The moisture content and extent of aeration of the coating mix will vary depending upon the desired viscosity characteristics and desired final texture and appearance. Although the viscosity of the coating mix may be low for multiple thin coatings, we prefer a viscosity approximating that of honey. This gives suflicient flowability to insure complete coating of the core and yet is sufliciently thick so as not to require multiple coatings. The coatings are preferably thermal setting, and we have found it effective to apply the coatings to the surface of hot cores as they leave the drying oven, by spraying, tumble-coating or by the use of conventional enrobing or battering equipment. By suitable con trol of the temperatures of the coating, the core and the surrounding atmosphere, uniform coatings comparable to those formed by enrobing techniques may be attained.

This primary coating is desirably continuous or virtually so; To the coated core is then applied as a secondary discontinuous coat a quantity of flavor-imparting discrete particles which are preferably finely chopped, precooked bits of bacon, liver, beef, chicken, ham or other flavor-enhancing materials. These components are applied while the coating is still wet, preferably by sprinkle deposit as the coated cores travel by conveyor to the cooking stage.

Finally, the food pieces consisting of coated cores to which the particulate flavor-enhancing components have been added are cooked as by deep fat frying at any suitable temperature, such, for example, as 300 F. Other cooking methods may be employed.

As the product leaves the cooking bath, it is conveyed to a suitable refrigerating apparatus for chilling prior to packaging. :During this cooling stage, vitamins or other nutrients or preservatives that have poor heat stability and do not adversely affect flavor may be added.

For the desired textural quality, the product must have the proper moisture content. During manufacture, the moisture content varies, water being added in compounding the dry core materials to facilitate handling such as by extrusion to form a soft, fragile core, which has been found desirable; the product later loses some of its water content during cooking.

The moisture content of the finished product is preferably in the range of about 10% to about 14% by weight, although for certain textural qualities these limits may be broadened to from 5% to 25% water by weight of the finished product. Materials of the kind used in the manufacture of semimoist foods may be substituted to provide a product having a soft semimoist center with a dry outer coating or the inverse system may be employed, if desired. The water content for such products may range as high as 45% by weight.

We have found that food products made in accord ance with this invention are well adapted for their intended purpose. The primary coat serves well its function of masking the less palatable flavors of the core. To that end, the coating ideally is continuous, although in practice small uncoated areas are permissible, depending upon the palatability characteristics of the core. The coating should be no thinner than ,6, of an inch and need not exceed A of an inch in thickness and is desirably in the range of from to A; of an inch, although the thick- Percent Raw mix Cooked product ness may, of course, vary widely from piece to piece and Ingredients even in individual pieces. The coating is dyed approprisecondary cost; ately so that in combination with the particulate flavor 5 5 Liver 24. 0 5. 8 components the dress of the food piece appropriately con- Iotal 100.0

veys the sales message intended. The food product has excellent keeping qualities.

The following are typical examples of products and methods of manufacture. In appearance the products, in 10 most instances, resemble pieces of omelet of one or another predominating flavor as the components indicate.

EXAMPLE III This product has the same core as in Examples I and II.

Quantities are specified both in terms of percentage by weight of the raw mix and percentage by weight of the cooked product indicating the variance in quantity weight Ingredients Percent percentages due largely to loss of water and gain of fat during cooking. Some of the water lost is from water 33-3 3%? added as indicated; otherwise, water lost is from the nat- Secondary coat 15.8 13.3 ural water content of the raw components. Total 100.0 100. 0

Primary coat EXAMPLE I Whole eg 55. 9 13. 3 Soy bean and whey flour. 17. 9 7. 6 Percent 1.0 0.4

13.5 5.8 Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product 7 3 0.1 a;

. 100.0 27.5 Secondary Coat 20. 9 24. 0

Secondary coat: Total 100- 0 100 0 Liver 10.9 2.0 Chicken (whole) 9 16" 23.5 4.3 Core: Bacon fat; 65. 6 12. 0

Soy grits deiatted 33.0 17. 8 Cat meal 27- 6 15 0 Total 100. 0 18. 3 Rice flour 7. 6 15. 0 %tea1(111edhb(1me meaL. .I rte w o e egg EXAMPLE IV Total Primary coat. This product differs from the foregoing in the primary Whole egg c4. 1 and secondary coats.

Ingredients Percent Raw mix Cooked product Secondary coat: Bacon Total 10m) Secondary coat 20:9 24:0 Total 100. 0 100. 0

Primary coat: In making the product the dry ingredients of the core 2% 3:2 to which a small quantity of hot water Or live steam is introduced for surface wetting are thoroughly mixed and 8 8:? extruded as a soft, fragile core of desirable shape and dimensions such as cylinders inch diameter by inch in length. The extruded product is tumbled lightly to Total loo-0 eliminate fines and to smooth any sharp corners that may Secondary coat; Beef trimmings 1004) 24,0 be conducive to thin coatings. The fines are recycled. The Tot 31 100 0 24 0 tumbled product is dried at 225 F. for approximately 30 minutes. The primary coat, which is predominantly whole egg and includes white pigment and yellow dye, is EXAMPLE V made as an emulsion and is applied to the core by a mixture in a Tempura Batterer in the proportions of 65 parts P core and 35 parts of coating mix. l

The secondary coat is prepared by grinding the raw Ingredients Raw mix Pmduct bacon through a A inch grinder after which the bacon Total mix: is cooked in a skillet until it becomes particulate in form C gg'g 'with the pieces only half cooked to crispness. These bacon 1511 1914 bits are applied to the coated core. The entire product is Total 100 0 100 0 the deep fat fried in 300 F. fat for seconds. The product is removed to a draining conveyor and cooled 21 6 16 0 prior to packaging. 13: 5 9: 9 Examples II, III and IV, which follow, are modified 3-2 3-2 formulas. The steps in the manufacture may be the same 2910 as in Example I. in? g EXAMPLE II as 212 1.4 Using the same core and primary coat the product is Total 100.0 2 4 made with the following coat of particulate materials: 7

Core material is mixed together and then the water is Example VII is a product with chicken and cheese added. The mix is extruded through a low pressure extrutaste: der and cut into pieces between /2 inch and 1 inch in length at inch diameter, then dried at not more than Percent 250 F. to a moisture content of 5.6 percent. Ingredients product Total Percent 27.1 41.1 Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product gi 332 I: Coat:

Whole eggs (75% Water) 45.2 4.8 Dried whey... 18. 1 7. 7 Core;

Soy grits defatted 28.4 16.3 3 0 Water 27. 4,

4 6 Wheat germ. 9. 4 5. 4 4 Wheat flour 9.4 5.4 Wheat starch 9. 4 5. 4 Total 1m 0 28' 2 Modified corn starch. 100.0 41.7 The coating material is mixed together and the vegetal ble gum is added last. After that, the mix must be After all dry ingredients are well mixed, the water is homogenized to achieve a high viscosity like dextrose added. This mix is run through a continuous cooker exsyrup. truder (Wenger) which delivers expanded balls from 1 /2 When a good coat is reached then the so-coated parinch to 2 inches in diameter. After drying, these balls are ticles are sprinkled with precooked bacon bits. Then these broken into irregula pieces of about V2 inch to Inch.

parts are deep fat fried in bacon fat at 300 F, f 1 The moisture content is 6 to 8%. After that the pieces minute. This drives enough moisture out of the coat so are fried at low temperature for seconds at 200 to that the average moisture content is between 10 and 12%. Dul'ing that time y P P approximately 12% The coat picks up between 12 and 15% bacon fat and fat.

attains a good bacon flavor. After cooling, the product is packed to preserve the flavor.

Percent Example VI 1s a product with chicken and liver taste: 30

Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product Coat: Percent Whole eggs (75% water). 90.1 29.0 Dried cheddar cheese.-. 8. 4 10. 8 Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product Vegetable gum 1. 5 1. 9 Total mixture: Total 100.0 41.7

Core 46.3 58.3 se

at rfie jjjjjjjjj 6: 412 The coat batter is mixed and homogenized and applied 1 Total 10M 10M 40 to the core. Precooked, roasted, As inch pieces of chicken 2 are sprinkled on the surface and the product is blanched in a chicken broth at 200 F. for 3 to 4 minutes, long SOY guts (defined) enough to pick up enough flavor. After that the product Oat flakes 13. 5 11. 1. Rice fl01n' ,5 is dried to 10% moisture at low temperature, 200 F. :g ffffi i 8:3 if Example VIII is a product with beef taste: Bone meal... 9. 5 7. 8

o ayeas Cheese rlnds 1. 9 1. 6 Percent Total 100 0 58 3 Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product 43.0 48.0 The core material is mixed together and then the water 16.1 20.0 is added. The mix is extruded through a low pressure extruder with a plate with irregular holes, diameter rang- 0 0 ing from inch to inch, and cut into lengths from Cores: it d t H d V2 inch to 34 inchwfieilfjifif "1:: $32 f1 Weat germ..- 14.2 9.4 ghfiat 1101.? 13.2 9.4 ar ey gri s. 6. 2 Percent 7 Dry eggs 6. 6 4. 3 Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product Tot-a1 no 4&0 Coat: 60

Whole eggs (75% water) 78. 5 11. 9 g fi The core material 18 mixed and low pressure extruded oloring 1. 4 0. 9 Vegetable gum 0 5 to V2 ll'lCh round particles with variable length of /2 inch Total m0 0 25 0 to inch. Then it is dried at 300 F. for 20 minutes to a moisture content of 5 or 6%.

The coating ingredients are mixed before the vegetable gum is added. The chicken is ground into inch pieces, Percent roasted to remove a part of the water, and develop a Ingredients Raw mix Cooked p ct better flavor.

When a good coating and complete coverage are 38-2 reached, then precooked liver bits at A; inch size are 1 1 added on top. This so-treated product is fried in lard at 3-2 g-g 275 F. for seconds. This product has a strong odor of 32') liver.

The coat is prepared and while homogenized nitrogen gas is serrated into the batter.

Precooked A1 inch beef particles are sprinkled on top and the product is then fried at 325 F. beef fat obtained 8 between the drums will be inch. The film sticks to one drum and will be pulled off after 270 rotation. The pickup roll moves slightly faster than the drying drum. By this the molecules become oriented and the film stays flexible even when it is dry. Then the film rolls loose until from the roasting. 5 3

During the 1-minute frying, the nitrogen gas incorpo- 2 513 i r gi gfi fi i film cut m places of rated in the batter expands and forms big bubbles which collapse after frying. This gives a good scrambled egg surface appearance. 0 Parcent Example IX 1s a product 'w1th bacon and liver taste. Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product Coat: @L \l vhplg eg s (75% water)-.-. g 1

rie w ey Ingredients Raw 1111): Cooked product Bacon n 163 98 15 Torula yeast 10. 8 6. 5 4 Cheese rind. 7. 3 4. 4 2 Coloring 0. 9 0. 6 12 9 Vegetable gum 0.9 0. 6 5 TiOz 0.5 0.3

0 Total 100. 0 40. 0

Core: 4 0

i gfif i g gifigfi 32: 3: The coating material is mixed and homogenized and Mfldified Starch applied to the core. After good coating is reached, pre- Rree flour 15.2 11.8 1 3 Toma yeast 13 roasted, As inch to Inch chlcken pieces are sprinkled Total 100' 0 m 4 25 onto the soft surface and the so-prepared product is fr1ed 1n bacon fat at 275 F. for 60 to 70 seconds.

Example XI relates to a product with beef, liver,

Whipped whole eggs are mixed with the dry ingredients chlcken and bacon aroma: and then cold extruded and cut into not larger than 1- inch pieces. After drying at 400 F. for 15 minutes, the core is very crunchy. Percent Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product Percent Total mix: ore- 35.7 48.1 Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product Primary coat- 34.9 26.0 Chicken 18.3 14.8 Coat: Bacon fat 11.1 11.1

Whole egg (75% water) 78. 4 17. 1 Liver (75% Water) 19. 0 4. 9 Total 100.0 100. 0 9 515. m 11 age a 8 20.2 11.8 Total 100.0 24.2 20.2 11.8 15.2 8.9 2-? 1% The coat containing a liver slurry for better flavor dis- 510 1:4 tribution is mixed and homogenized to develop a heavy 5 -3 viscosity. 3-0 1.8

One-eighth inch ground liver is short fried for 30 sec- :8 onds in 300 F. lard and then applied to the coated core.

Total 100. 0 4s. 1

The product is then fried in bacon fat at 325 F. for to 60 seconds.

Example X is a product with bacon and chicken taste: 50

The core dry matenals are mixed together then the beef tissue is added and then the blood and water. The Percent mix is cold extruded at low pressure into round pieces Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product of irregular length. After extrusion, it is run through a tumbler to round the edges. Then it is dried by going Total mix:

we through a microwave tunnel to heat it from the mside and drive the moisture to the surface and then it is run 10.1 8.0 no no through an infrared tunnel to roast the surface and finally 100. 0 100. 0 dry Core:

Soy grits defatted 20. 2 9. 8 Wheat flour 18. 3 8. 9 Percent Water 17- ----Z Barley guts 13,3 ,7 Ingredients Raw Imx Cooked product Bacon.--" 8.3 4.1 Bone meaL.-. 7. 4 3. 6 Coat: Dried Whey- 3. 2 1. 0 5 Whole eggs, (7 ater) 79. 4 12. a Torula yeast- 3.7 1,3 Cheese, dried- 19.0 12.2 Cheese rinds 1. a 6 Vegetable s 3 .8 Modified corn st 2. 7 1. 3 T102 0. 3 2 Dry eggs- 1. 8 8 Wheat glute 1.8 ,8 Total 100.0 26.0

T tal. 100.0 40.0

The core material is mixed together, then pumped through a scraped surface heat exchanger to plasticize the starches. The mix exits at approximately 220 F. and is then put on a steam-heated drum dryer. The distance The hot core is battered with approximately 35 percent coat. The hot core sets the proteins very fast and gives good adhesion. After battering, precooked chicken bits as described before are sprinkled on top and then the prod ct is tried in bacon fat at 300 F. for 1 minute.

9 Example XII relates to a product with ham and cheese aroma:

Core material is mixed together and then the water is added. The mix is extruded through a low pressure extruder and cut into pieces between /2 inch and 1 inch in length at /2 inch diameter, then dried at not more than 250 F. to a moisture content of 5 to 6 percent.

Percent Ingredients Raw mix Cooked product lei'hole eggs (75% water) 90. 1 21. 4 $.g%a%i g% .3f???:::: i3? ?:2

Total 100. 30. 8

The coat batter is mixed and homogenized and applied to the core. Roasted ham pieces at 4 inch to inch are sprinkled on the surface then fried in lard at 325 F. for 45 to 55 seconds.

In the products of our invention, the protein content may range from to 45%, more desirably from 12% to 30% and preferably from 20% to 25%. The fat content may vary from to 40%, more desirably from 15% to 30% and preferably at an 18% to 22% level.

We claim:

1. A food product having the substantial appearance, flavor and aroma of cooked egg in the form of discrete pieces comprising cores enclosed within covers of substantial thickness encasing the surfaces and tenaciously bonded around, concealing and masking the taste and appearance of said cores, said covers comprising a substantial quantity of cooked egg solids to provide the flavor, taste and aroma characteristics of cooked egg of higher palatability than that of the cores, and masking said core material, said cores being formed of material of generally lower palatability and composed in substantial part of starch-containing cereal alone or admixed with ground meat or fish.

2. The food product as defined in claim 1 having further adhered to the surface a quantity of particulate, flavor imparting bits of cooked meat, poultry or fish bonded to the cores by said egg coating.

V 3. The method of making discrete food pieces comprising forming discrete pieces of core materials composed in substantial part of starch-containing cereal alone or admixed with ground meat or fish, applying to the cores covers of substantial thickness encasing the surfaces and concealing and masking the taste and appearance of said cores, said covers comprising whole egg, and thereafter cooking the pieces to coagulate the egg and to provide the flavor, taste and aroma characteristic of cooked egg of high palatability.

4. The method of claim 3 which includes the further step of applying to the suface of the egg covers a quantity of particulate flavor imparting bits of cooked meat, poultry or fish.

5. The method of claim 3 in which the cooking is in animal or vegetable fat or mixtures thereof for further enhancement of palatability.

6. A food product having the substantial appearance, flavor and aroma of cooked egg in the form of discrete pieces comprising cores enclosed within covers of substantial thickness encasing the surfaces and tenaciously bonded around, concealing and masking the taste and appearance of said cores, said covers comprising a substantial quantity of cooked egg solids to provide the flavor, taste and aroma characteristics of cooked egg of higher palatability than that of the cores, and substantially inhibiting migration of core flavors to the surface, said cores being formed of material of generally lower palatability and composed in substantial part of starch-containing cereal alone or admixed with ground meat, ground fish, legumes, bone meals or oil seeds, and a quantity of particulate flavor imparting bits of food material adhered to the surface of the covers and presenting an appearance and flavor contrasting with that of the egg.

7. The food product of claim 6 having a moisture content of about 5-45% by weight, a protein content of about 5-45 by weight, and a fat content of about 10- 40% by weight.

8. The food product of claim 6 in which the said coating is of an average thickness ranging from about ,4 to about A of an inch.

References Cited OTHER REFERENCES Ziemba, Create New Foods with Textured Soy Protein, Food Engineering, vol. 38, 4-1966, pp. 58-60 (copy available, Library, US. Pat. 011.).

JOSEPH SCOVRONEK, Primary Examiner Cl. X.R. 42e-211, 30s

-m49w 'UBHTED STATES PATENTOFTTCE (s/Es) r" CERTIFICAlE 6F CORliEClION Pam 3,808,341 ated April 30, 1974 h Elbert H. Rongey and Eckhardt Hooss It is certified that erzor appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 45, "suggtstion" should be---sugg estion--;

Column 3, line 67, "the" should be--then-;

Column 4, at top in table (Example II), "Secondary cost" should be--Secondary coat--.--

Signed and sealed this 8th day of October 1974..

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

